Add MS 15477

Guido delle Colonne ['de Columnis' or 'de Columna'], Historia destructionis Troiae (A History of the Destruction of Troy) or Historia troiana, in 35 books with a prologue and epilogue.

This Latin prose version, based on the Roman de Troie by Benoit de St Maure, was adapted by Guido delle Colonne, a judge and poet in the circle of Emperor Frederick II (b. 1194, d. 1250), initially for Mathaeus de Porta, archbishop of Salerno. But when da Porta died in 1272, only the first book was complete, and the remaining 34 books were completed 15 years later, between 15 September and 25 November, 1287 (see Jung, La Légende (1996), p. 563).

f. 1r: The prologue, begins, 'Et si cotidie vetera recentibus obviant'. The text of the history begins, 'In regno texalie de predicte scilicet provinciis Romanie...'

ff. 1r-57v: Historia destructionis Troiae.

f. 58r: Three verse epitaphs, two on Hector and one on Achilles.

f. 58r-v: The epilogue begins, 'Et ego, Guido de Columpnis predictum Ditem in omnibus sum secutus', and ends 'Factumque est autem prexens opus anno dominice incarnacionis milessimo. II. C. LXXXVII eiusdem prime indicitonis felliciter. Amen'.

Decoration:

137 mostly bas-de page miniatures in ink with colour wash. 9 historiated initials in colours with gold, one with full floriate border (f. 1r). Initials in blue with pen-flourishing in red or in red with pen-flourishing in purple. Paraphs in red or blue.

The subjects of the images are:

f. 1r: Bust of a figure (? Guido) with a red cloak and a white collar and hat, holding a book.

f. 1v: Jason, Hercules and King Aetes seated.

f. 2r: Jason and King Peleas are seated in a room, talking (left). outside, beside a walled city, Hercules leads a horse onto a ship, with a bearded figure (?Jason) watching (centre and lower right). Jason kneels before Peleas (upper right).

f. 2v: The Argos arrives on the shore of Troy, and Jason steps ashore. one of the crew fills a pitcher from a spring and another drinks.

f. 3r: Messengers from King Laomedon kneel before Jason and Hercules before the Argonauts' camp.

f. 3v: The Argos arrives at the port of Colchis (left). Jason and Medea talk (right).

f. 4r: King Aetes, Jason and Medea at dinner with courtiers.

f. 4v: Hercules plays chess with King Aetes while Medea and Jason talk.

f. 5r: Jason and Medea in a chamber beside a bed.

f. 5v: Medea has Jason swear an oath before a statue of Jupiter.

f. 6r: Jason and Medea lie naked together.

f. 6v: Jason takes leave of King Aetes, with Medea seated in a tower above. Jason subdues the fire-breathing oxen.

f. 7r: Jason kills the dragon, ploughs the field with the oxen, sows the dragon's teeth so that armed men spring up from the ground and fight. kills the ram and captures the golden fleece.

f. 7v: Jason and Medea in her chamber. Jason and Medea sail away from Colcis.

f. 8r: Hercules and Nestor sail to Sparta (left) where they meet Castor and Pollux (right).

ff. 8v-10r: The first destruction of Troy.

f. 10v: The Greeks leave Troy with Priam's sister, Hesiona (Exiona) who is lamenting.

f. 11r: The rebuilding of Troy.

f. 11v: Priam seated in his new hall in council with his subjects.

f. 12r: Antenor kneels before the Greek king Peleus requesting the return of Hesiona.

f. 12v: Antenor kneels before King Telamon requesting the return of Hesiona (left). Antenor and his companions weather a storm at sea (right).

f. 13r: Antenor kneels before King Priam reporting that the Greeks have rejected his request (left). Priam in council with the Trojans (right)

ff. 13v-14v: Priam and his sons, including Hector and Paris, discuss revenge on the Greeks.

f. 15r: Cassandra warns Priam and his court against attacking Greece.

f. 15v: Two Greek ships, one carrying Menelaus and Hermione sail past as Paris and the Trojans arrive on the island of Cythera.

f. 16r: Paris attends a festival in the temple of Venus, watched by Helen.

f. 17r: Paris and the Trojans talk. Trojan soldiers take booty from the temple and attack the guards while Paris takes Helen's hand.

f. 17v: Helen arrives on ths shores of Troy and is led in a procession by King Priam and Aeneas with heralds.

f. 18r: Helen and King Priam at the gates of Troy while Cassandra watches from a tower, lamenting.

f. 18v: Menelaus weeps watched by two kings, one of them, Agamemnon, speaks (left). Castor and Pollux in a storm at sea (right).

f. 20v: Agamemnon and the Greek leaders meeting.

f. 21r: Achilles and Patroclus sail to Delphos to consult the statue of Apollo in the temple.

f. 22r: The Trojan priest, Calchas kneels before Apollo (left). Calchas joins Achilles, Patroclus and the Greeks.

f. 22v: Achilles and Patroclus sail to Greece. Agamemnon kneels before the statue of Diana at Aulis. the Greeks destroy a castle named Sarabona (Sarronabo).

f. 23r: Ulysses and the Greeks attack the Trojan fortress of Tenedros (Thenedon), scaling the walls with ladders (left). the Greeks hold a council on a shore.

f. 23v: Ulysses and Diomedes deliver a message to King Priam and the Trojans.

f. 24r: Priam restrains the Trojans who brandish their swords at the messengers, Diomedes and Ulysses.

f. 24v: The messengers before Agamemnon and the Greeks (left). Achilles, Telepus and Greek ships approach the city of Messana (right).

f. 25r: A battle (left). King Teutra (Theutran) wounded in bed (left), with Achiles and Telephus at the bedside (right).

f. 25v: Achiles leaves King Telephus (left). Achiles and his men bring provisions to Agamemnon.

f. 26r: The Greeks seated before their tents.

ff. 26v-27v: Battles between the Greeks and Trojans.

f. 28r: Achilles and Paris fighting outside Troy, and Diomedes falls from his horse.

f. 28v: Hector and the Trojans celebrate (left). a group of soldiers ride out.

f. 29r: Hector and Priam in the city of Troy (left). Hector slays Patroclus.

ff. 29v-33r: Battles between the Greeks and Trojans.

f. 33v: A battle (left). Troilus is captive of the Trojans.

f. 34r: Troilus and two others enter a room where Briseis (Cressida) and a woman are seated (left); a battle (right); Troilus, Eneas and Anthenor visit Helen in her chamber.

f. 34v: A battle with Diomedes killing Antipus.

f. 35r: Tents with three men talking. Achilles issues a challenge to Hector.

f. 35v: Troilus and Briseis (Cressida) embracing (right). Briseis is escorted on horseback by Troilus to Diomedes and the Greeks (left).

f. 36r: Briseis and Calchas seated together (left). Briseis is welcomed by the Greeks.

f. 36v: Hector sees the women on the city walls, watching him in the midst of battle.

f. 37r: Andromache reveals her dream to Hecuba and King Priam in a tower (left). Hector lifts his fist in anger at Andromache, who is sorrowful (right).

f. 37v: Hector, fully armed, stands before Andromache and his son (left). Hector rides into battle.

f. 38r: A battle, with Troilus and Achilles taking part.

f. 38v: Agamemnon and the Greek leaders meet before their tents.

f. 39r: Achilles pierces Hector through the heart with a lance.

f. 39v: Andromache, Priam, Hecuba and the Trojans lament before Hector's tomb.

f. 40r: Priam, Hecuba and Paris in a palace, and Achilles speaks to a messenger outside his tent.

f. 40v: Agamemnon and the Greek leaders meet in a tent (left). Troilus and Diomedes battle with lances.

f. 41r: A battle on the shore, with Greek ships burning (right).

f. 41v: The death of Palamides (left). Achiles, Diamedes and Ulysses meet in a tent (right).

f. 42r: Agamemnon meets Menelaus and other leaders outside the tents.

f. 42v: A battle with Troilus, Phylimenis and Ulysses fighting.

f. 43r: The Trojans including Troilus pursue the Greeks to their tents.

f. 43v: A battle in which Troilus is attacked by Achilles.

f. 44r: Achilles kills Troilus, and drags his body behind his horse.

f. 44v: Achilles and Archilogus are slain by Paris and Trojans in the temple (left). the Greeks stand before their tents (right).

f. 45r: A battle between Greeks and Amazons, with Paris and Aeneas fighting, and Penthesilea, with loose hair, attacking a kneeling figure (?Menelaus).

f. 45v: A battle between Greeks and Amazons, with Penthesilea and King Philimenis.

f. 46r: Penthesilea fights Diomedes and Philimenus fights Ulysses.

f. 46v: A battle between Amazons and Greeks outside Troy (left). inside the city Anchises, Aeneas, Antenor, and Polydamas plot together.

f. 47r: Antenor and Aeneas reveal their plan to King Priam.

f. 47v: Soldiers approach Priam and his courtiers, who are seated indoors, and two figures approach on hoseback.

f. 48r: Priam weeps before two figures, ?Philimenus and ?Amphimachus (left). Helen speaks to Antenor.

f. 48v: Antenor in a room speaking to Diomedes and Aeneas (left). Antenor gives gold to Thoas, custodian of the Palladium (right).

f. 49r: An altar with Trojans kneeling and the eagle flying off (left). a king ?Philimenis and women escape on a ship.

f. 49v: The Greeks break the walls to widen the gate and enter the city of Troy with the horse, while Priam, Eneas and Antenor watch.

f. 50r: The Greeks sack Troy and attack the women.

f. 50v: Agamemnon, Ulysses and Greek leaders hold a meeting in a room.

f. 51r: Agisthus murders Agamemnon who is lying in bed while a figure stands guard below (left). Agamemnon and the Greeks at table (right).

f. 51v: Antenor and companions on a ship looking towards a city (left). Cassandra alone in a rocky landscape wringing her hands (right).

f. 52r: A storm with sinking ships, a drowning figure and nude figure lying on the shore (left). Ulysses shipwrecked on Crete telling his story to Idumeneus.

f. 52v: A ship approaches a shore with fires and soldiers defending it, and spikes under the water.

f. 53r: A sleeping figure is murdered and soldiers fight outside the palace.

f. 53v: A battle (left), with two figures hanged in the background. Aeneas in a ship on the shore (right).

f. 54r: Soldiers storm a city (left). Orestes cuts off the head of a bound Clytemnestra watched by three figures.

f. 54v: Ulysses talks to Ydumeneus (Idomeneus) in a room.

f. 55r: Ulysses embraces Ydumeneus, with a ship waiting at the shore.

f. 55v: Pirus (Phyrrus) of Troy and followers in a storm at sea, sailing to Thessaly.

f. 56r: Pirus finds his grandfather Peleus hiding underground (left). the sons of king Acastus hunt deer in the woods and Pirus kills Philistenes.

f. 56v: Pirus takes the oath as king of Thessaly (left). Menelaus attacks Andromache and her son Laomedon.

f. 57r: Ulysses dreaming and consulting soothsayers. Telagonus sets sail, with Circe watching.

f. 57v: Telegonus kills Ulysses with a spear, and laments over him. Telegonus departs in a ship.